Always and Forever
by Aelyna326
Summary: Part two of the Jade Myth Saga. Believing she has said goodbye to the Supernatural world, and the mysterious Kol, forever; Christie is horrified to learn she's landed her family in the midst of an Original war. Kol offers a deal she can't refuse, and soon she's playing a dangerous game. Lines become blurred, and Christie's head & heart collide - with dire consequences. Kol/OC
1. Prologue

_**Part Two... Always and Forever...**_

**Prologue**

Three months was long enough for me and Jake to go from acquaintances, bonded by trauma, to friends, bonded by a lot more. He gave me a book, with a beautifully embossed metallic cover, "It's a grimoire. I've written down some of the basis spells we covered, and some harder ones for you to try your hand at. There's a great little lust potion in there, might help you get laid." I shoved him, laughing it off; no boys quite met my standards, apparently. "Thank you Jake, it means a lot."  
"Well you mean lot. Keep yourself safe in Mystic Falls, don't get in any trouble with the Salvatore brothers, and don't forget; you're powerful, way more powerful that I could ever be, even with training. Useit, don't waste it."  
"I won't, I promise."  
"Good, and listen, if ever you're attempting something difficult, and you need help, you can channel me, I don't mind."  
"Okay, thank you."  
"Oh, and my Skype name is JollyJake879, 'kay? Keep in touch."  
"I will."  
"Okay, your mum's going to go without you, I've kept you, sorry." He grinned, and I threw my arms around him, "Don't worry about it. And don't worry about me, I'll visit, and you can visit, and we'll Skype." Pulling myself away, I got into the car. Rosie waved with me, until he faded from sight.

"It's a new start Rosie, Mystic Falls; doesn't it just sound idyllic?"


	2. Chapter 1

"_My fault, my failure, is not in the passions I have, but in my lack of control over them."_

– _Jack Kerouac_

**Chapter 1 **

My very first evening in Mystic Falls reminded me that nothing good ever comes of hope – Fortune's a nasty bitch.

I had put the last box in my new bedroom, and was heading into the hall to help Mum start on the kitchen, when I heard her talking to someone, "Just in here, prefect, thank you so much. It's lovely to see that some young men still have good manners. Perhaps it's a small town thing?"  
"Or a British thing?"  
"Of course, your accent." That accent, that damn voice, so playful, hiding such darkness.

Without hesitation I ran back up the stairs, as quietly as possible, and dug a stake out of one of the boxes I hadn't even started unpacking yet, shoving it into my waistband. He had just put a box down, so his back was to me, which gave me the opportunity I needed. I jammed it between his shoulder blades, he stiffened, standing up straight, "Move, I dare you." I kept my voice low, even though my mother was at the car with Rosie, grabbing the last of the boxes. "Hello to you too."

"What are you _doing _here?"  
"Relax darling," He stretched the vowels, I could hear the laughter still in his voice, "I just wanted to introduce you to the neighbourhood." I didn't find it so damn funny.  
"You are in my house Kol, my family's home. What the hell are you playing at?!" He turned, so suddenly it caught me off guard; one of his hands wrapped around the stake, the other rested on the small of my back, steadying me. "Put it down or I'll break your fingers." I lowered it grudgingly, "Thank you pet."  
"Explain yourself."  
"I would, but mummy and baby sis are coming." He bent close to my ear, whispering, though I was sure they were far enough away he didn't need to. "Leave your window open tonight, I'll pay you a quick visit. Or not so quick, depending on where the night takes us." I was still holding the stake, and I jammed the butt of it into his ribs, hard enough to bruise.

"Ow. Vindictive little witch." This time I was the one who hissed in _his_ ear,  
"Yes, and don't forget it." I shoved the stake back into my waistband as my mother came in,  
"You've met Colin Christie?"  
"Colin? Yes, I have met Colin." I picked up a box, almost sagging under it's weight, and dumped it on _Colin_. "Kitchen."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I never quite got in to the Dark Romance novels, they were all a little too close to home. Except that, at home, the vampires tried to kill you, not fuck you. No, I read period novels; an alien world, full of damsels and gentlemen and beautiful dresses. They were poorly written, and completely lacking in any underlying philosophy, but they made me feel like a girl.

So it was lying on my bed, absorbed in 'The Princess of Florence', that Kol found me. His tapping on my window made me look up. Dark eyes, alight with mischief, met mine. I opened it, "May I?"  
"You don't need me to invite you, you've already tricked your way in."  
"I don't _need _you to, but I would like your permission."  
"Alright, come in." He smiled, slipping through the window. For a moment we stood opposite each other, I felt tense, almost afraid, but more than that; something like anticipation surged through me. I decided I was simply anxious to know why he was here. "Sit down then." I gestured at the bed, taking my own seat at my desk. "So?"  
"So..."  
"Explain yourself."  
"Such a brave little thing, so demanding."  
"Yes, I am demanding, I _demand _you explain yourself. My little sister is watching cartoons downstairs, my mother is on the phone to a friend she hasn't spoken to since my father's funeral. My family might just be recovering. So tell me, why are you in my house?" I had forgotten how fickle he was, one minute he was smiling at me, like some indulgent uncle, the next his eyes held a steely anger in their depths.

"I am in you house because you gave me no other option." His voice was a hiss, my hand clenched on my leg, wishing I had a stake to hand. But it seemed he just wanted to rant, not fight. "I was going to leave you alone! I was never going to see you again, you were a memory, a mistake, nothing more. Then you come _here _of all place? What were you thinking?"  
"What's wrong with here? This is were Gerry and Freya live, it's quiet, idyllic, out of the way. It's everything Richmond wasn't."  
"It's a thousand times more dangerous than Richmond. Do you know nothing?"  
"Clearly! Rather than keep alluding to it like some kind of enigmatic wizard, _explain _yourself!"  
"Very well." He sat back, seeming to decide where to start. After a pause he started, "This is a very long story Christie, if you want to hear all of it."  
"I do, and I have all night." He nodded, and began.

The tale started a thousand years ago, with a family who were the very definition of dysfunctional. He had told me that once before, but as he expanded on it, I realised how horrifying it really was. His poor brother, mistreated by his father and abandoned by his mother – no wonder the sensitive boy he described turned into a callous man, and a psychopathic vampire. His little sister, who craved the love of her mother, and the attention of her father, but was denied both – she clung to the only person who gave her affection, even it he destroyed her, accidentally, slowly but most surely. When he spoke of Elijah (the man I'd believed to be his superior, but was actually his elder brother), he sounded awed.

"I'm more like Nik by nature; quick to anger, quick to laugh. But if I could be like any of my brothers, I'd be like Elijah, he's always calm, always in control. He's honourable and clever. When we were young he would tell us stories, me, Beckah and Henrik. Sometimes Nik would listen, even though he'd say they were nonsense. Finn never did, he was bored with us, thought we were just irritating little siblings. Lijah always made the time, and we never forgot it. Well, Nik did, but Nik forget everything in the end. Until all he remembered was the bad, the things we'd said to each other in anger. That's where I'm different from him, I forget; Nik can't."

As he reached the end of the story I realised his consternation at my choice of 'fresh start' town. "So, to recap, you're telling me that your brother – the crazy one, not the honourable one – and your sister, also crazy, are currently living here? And they are in some kind of ongoing battle with the town's (unbelievably high) population of vampires? Basically, we are surrounded by witches, vampires, werewolves and these _hybrids_? Great, just fucking great!" Without warning, my bookshelf ejected a few of the heavier volumes. Kol ducked and I stood up to return them, trying to get my magic under control. "What was that?"  
"Um? Oh, the bookshelf's a bit... wobbly."  
"Wobbly? I don't think so. You actually are a vindictive little witch, aren't you?"  
"I... no. Jake's the witch."  
"You're heart's racing."  
"Well whoop de doo. That doesn't make me a witch."  
"It makes you a liar."  
"I'm not lying!" One of the returned books flew off and hit me between the eyes. I reeled, and Kol caught me. I could feel him chuckling as he helped me find my balance.

"Yes, you are." I sighed,  
"Fine, I'm a witch. It doesn't mean anything."  
"Well, it does sort of make you a hypocrite." His hand had lingered on my waist, but he pulled away as I moved uncomfortably. "No it doesn't. We don't kill supernaturals anymore." He nodded, smiling slightly. "What are you smirking at?" His smile widened,  
"Nothing. I'm just glad you're getting over this hatred of yours."  
"I might be able to accept witches, and even werewolves; but don't think I can ever forgive vampires for what they are." He didn't seem deterred.  
"Maybe not yet, but I'm sure you'll change your mind when you meet Saint Stefan Salvatore."  
"Jake told me about Stefan, and his brother; maybe I could tolerate him, if he really is as moral as Jake said, but that doesn't mean my opinion would change about any of the others, those who kill for fun, or for food, they're still just monsters, who I would put down if I had the chance." The flash of anger was back, but Kol seemed to be trying to keep it under wraps.

He went to my desk, exploring, picking up the few things that identified me as normal girl; a bottle of perfume I hadn't used in a long while, a few silver chains, and my only ornament – a little fairy, sitting on a book, with one hand raised, holding a green crystal ball, she looked like she was fascinated by what she saw in its depths. My dad had given it to me, he'd found it in an out-of-the-way little shop, the kind he knew I would have loved to visit. "So, his brother Damon is unredeemable then? He's killed people, for fun, or just because he was bored, that makes him a monster to you?"  
"That makes him a monster full stop." There was a heavy pause, and I felt compelled to fill it. "But not unredeemable. I mean, if he changed, if he stopped killing people, then I suppose I wouldn't stake him."  
"Not even as punishment for the people he's killed?" I scoffed, a believer in Gandhi's _and eye for an eye and the whole world would soon be blind_, "No. What good can it possibly do, adding another death to the tally? No, if he was really changed, I'd let him live. I mean... think about it like this, if you live forever you have an eternity to do good things. Your life can have an unlimited value. You could... I don't know, learn... everything... and use that knowledge to help people. So, if Damon Salvatore (or any vampire) was to do more than just _stop killing_, but to actually start _doing_ good things then I wouldn't just tolerate them, I would respect them."

Kol's gaze, when I met it, was intense. I couldn't hold it for long. "It's very late, I should leave you to sleep. Unless you want me to stay?" He couldn't seem to help adding, but I was glad he did, it lightened the heavy atmosphere. I still chucked one of the books at him. He caught it, and threw it back, I ducked, but when I looked behind me I realised he hadn't been aiming for me; he'd managed to get it to slide back into it's position on the shelf. I looked back in disbelief, but he was gone.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Three weeks into my new life, and I wished I was back in Richmond. On Saturdays I went to see Freya and Gerry, which was always lovely – and it was far enough away from town to ensure I never saw hide nor hair of a vampire. Sundays were spent having 'family time' at my own insistence. And the rest of the week, well that was the problem. Kol told me about day-light rings, and pointed out all the vampires and the hybrid at my school, which meant I basically didn't speak to anyone, since everyone seemed to know Elena Gilbert and her creepy little undead gang. What made it worse was how bloody peppy she was, always smiling at me, and trying to welcome me. Caroline Forbes was the same, they could almost pass for human.

There were a few people I exchanged smiles with, but other than that... I was alone. In the evenings, I tried to distract myself with schoolwork, books and exercise. I ran every night, letting moonlight and cool air cleanse me of the days trials. I never realised how much I had depended on Jake's company, until I no longer had it; even when we hadn't been 'friends', he had been around – watching TV, playing with Rosie, he was there, and we would share words and jokes, even if they weren't the intimate ones we now had. I Skyped him often, and we channeled each other, which made me feel like he was close, but it wasn't enough – I was getting depressed from the sheer lack of occupation.

And that was the entire and complete reason I didn't despise Kol's company. The vampire bothered me. All. The. Time. whenever he got bored he would come and find me, usually when I was running; speeding past, just to prove he could. But after he got bored of that he would jog beside me, and when I was finished, we would sometimes talk. If I had had other company, other people with whom I could interact, I would never have allowed the conversations to go on, but I didn't, and Kol's age made him interesting.

It became a pattern we followed, I'd finish running, and as I warmed down I'd ask him a question about a specific historical incident, he would answer it, and more often than not we would go off on a tangent, discussing everything from philosophy and psychology, to music and art. Of course, these talks would run over sometimes, we'd get to my door, an unfinished argument that we just _couldn't _leave, and so he would occupy himself looking at my books or reading an essay I had due in, while I showered and changed. I'd come out and find him laughing hysterically, but silently, at whatever chick-lit I was reading, or find neat (if slightly camp) calligraphic corrections on my work.

Then we would talk into the night, until I was yawning, and had to shoe him home. Eventually I told Jake about it, one night while we were Skyping.

"**So do you like him?"  
**"In what way?"  
**"Stupid question, you must like him, or you wouldn't spend so much time with him."  
**"I don't like him, I tolerate him." Jake raised an eyebrow,  
**"Sure. Do you know if he's killing anyone?"  
**"I've been keeping an eye out, and I search the web for disappearances in the local area. There's nothing disproportionate."  
**"And if there was?"  
**"There are four other vampires, and who knows how many hybrids in this town. I'd do some research before I staked him."  
**"But if it was him, you would stake him?"  
**"A stake wouldn't actually kill him, but I guess I'd find something which would."  
**"Good. You should ask him, straight up, look into his eyes when he answers you."  
**"I should. I will, next time I see him." He might well go into one of his rages, but they were getting rarer, not because I was avoiding touchy subjects, I never shied away from something in case it upset him, but because he seemed to be learning they wouldn't deter me. I just got angry back, and we would have a muted row, often culminating in me threatening him until he left.

He didn't seem to like being forced out early, so he stopped throwing tantrums. Walking around touching things seemed to help him remain calm, I'd noticed he was very tactile, having something in his hands seemed to distract him from whatever was going on inside his head. He often played with the fairy statue on the desk.

When I told Jake about that he looked very interested, "What?"  
**"It's just weird, isn't it, that after a thousand years of just flipping out whenever he wants to, he's trying to stop for you."  
**"I hardly think it's _for me_, it's just... well I mean I am a witch, if it came to a fight -"  
**"He would have you beat in seconds. Against a human, fine we'd win, against a normal vampire, maybe we'd hold our own, but even _you_ couldn't beat an original." **  
"Not yet."  
**"No, not yet. He's doing it for you Chris, he doesn't want to scare you off."  
**"It's not that." I held up a hand before Jake could interrupt. "Look I accept it _might _be for me, in some way. But he's not worried about scaring me off. I think it's more about, I don't know, respect."  
**"Respect?"  
**"Yeah, sometimes he talks about Damon Salvatore, about what he'd have to do to become a 'good' vampire, in my eyes."  
**"Damon Salvatore couldn't redeem himself for all the tea in China." **Jake's expression was so cold it almost scared me, but then I remembered my own feelings on the vampires who had killed my father. All the tea in China wouldn't have saved them either. "I know, and I agree. But Damon isn't who we're talking about, I think it's like a metaphor for him, for Kol. I'm probably reading too much into it..."  
**"But if you're not, then you have an amazing opportunity. To save a vampire, to return his humanity." **To push the big red button. **"You still there?"  
**"Yeah. Sorry, just thinking. It probably is me over-thinking, there's nothing there." We went on to other things, lighter subjects.

"Hey, excuse me, hey!" I turned around, stopping dead in the corridor as a pretty black girl ran after me. I recognised her as Bonnie Bennet, the resident witch, and one of Elena's best friends. "You dropped this." She handed me a bracelet, a bracelet that definitely wasn't mine.  
"This isn't mine."  
"It is."  
"No, it's not." I forced it back into her hand, and turned away, whatever was going on was going to end right there. "Please!" The desperation in her voice stopped me, "Please take it, the witch spirits were insistent. You need to have it."  
"I don't want it."  
"It's important." I still didn't reach out to take it.  
"Where did you get it?"  
"I found it in the Salvatore Boarding house – come in here, we can talk." She practically manhandled me into an empty classroom.

I perched on a desk while she strode up and down, telling her story. "I asked Stefan if I could go through some of his books, with the Originals so close I need to know as many spells as I can. He said it was fine, and Damon wasn't there, so I was just exploring. I found this box, behind the books on one of the shelves, and it had a symbol I didn't recognise on it." She fished in her pocket, handing me a piece of paper with said symbol on it. "Here, have it. I've got loads of them, I couldn't stop drawing it. Anyway, as soon as I saw it, I just _knew _I had to open the box, I _had _to see what was inside."  
"And it was that?" The bracelet was particularly unimpressive. Little green beads in a gold setting, unremarkable. "Yes, and as soon as I touched it I had this vision, and the spirits told me I HAD to give it you!"  
"Alright, keep your voice down."  
"I'm sorry, but they've been so angry with me recently, I can't risk their ire again."

"But what _is _it?"  
"I don't know."  
"They didn't tell you anything, these spirits of yours?"  
"No, whatever it is is for you to know. Not me. Ask them, you're a witch too, aren't you?"  
"Yes. How did you know that?"  
"Takes one to know one." The same thing Jake had said, I wondered at this girl.  
"I don't talk to the spirits, Jake does sometimes, but they don't interest me. The dead are dead, they can't help us."  
"You'd be surprised."  
"Maybe. I don't want any part in your madness, your Original battle. I won't take it."  
"I don't think this is anything to do with the Originals, this is just – important. Please take it, I don't know what to do with it. It doesn't feel right in my hand." She wasn't lying, I could see how uncomfortably she held it, some unseen force really meant this thing for me and me alone.

As soon as I took it from her, I saw her relax. Still, she looked tired, even when she smiled. Whatever war was raging between her friends and Kol's mad brother was taking it's toll. "Alright, if I take this damn thing, will you do something for me?" She nodded, but her eyes stayed guarded; "Nothing sinister, I just want help contacting the spirits, to ask them what it's for. I've never done it alone, and my friends Jake's in Richmond."  
"He's a witch too?"  
"Yeah."  
"I'd love to meet him, practicing magic with others is so much more rewarding than alone." It was a none too subtle hint, but there was no way I was getting involved with her. "I'm sure it is. Look, I don't want to be rude, but I don't care too much if I am; I want nothing to do with you, nor your undead friends, so we do this spell, then we never speak to each other again, deal?" She nodded silently. "Great, have a good day Bonnie." I left swiftly, the weight of bracelet heavy on me.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I told no one, not even my mother, about the meeting with the Bennet witch, it was something I wanted to work out before I let anyone else in on it. She told me to go to some strange ruin in the middle of the forest, apparently the witch spirits were strong there, but I felt nothing as I entered the place.

"Christina." Something in the tone made me wary, I turned slowly, coming face to face with Bonnie Bennet, who was not alone. Stefan Salvatore had a rueful smile in place, and an arm around Elena Gilbert, who was looking sadly at me. Caroline Forbes looked equally guilty, standing a few steps in front of Tyler Lockwood, the Mayor's son. Little Jeremy wasn't with them, but his place was taken by a dark-haired, handsome stranger, leaning casually against a tree, almost out of the group. "Damon Salvatore, I presume?" He nodded, grinning, but there was no light in his frozen blue eyes.

"So, Bonnie... what the Hell?" My hands were clenched so tight they hurt, and I was trying to remember every spell I knew; not only that, I was also trying to start the channeling process, incase I needed to borrow power from Jake. "I'm so sorry Christina, I know it took a lot for you to come here, and if it had been up to me, I wouldn't have done this, but..." And her eyes flickered to Damon. "So, this is your little plan, is it?"  
"I guess so."  
"Well, don't be shy darling (where had that come from? I was spending too much time with Kol), what do you want from me?"  
"Just information. The bracelet baby witch stole from me, what do you know about it?"  
"Nothing, which is why I'm here."  
"That's what our witch said, but-"  
"I'm not your witch Damon."  
I threw a glance at the dirty little traitor, "Keep telling yourself that Bennet." She looked at me, but couldn't hold my gaze. "I'm not... I said I was sorry."  
"Oh shut up! You're a witch, not a puppet; you could have refused to tell him anything."  
"It wouldn't have ended well."  
"You forget yourself vampire, she could have you writhing in agony like *that*." I snapped my fingers, and he collapsed, crying out in pain.

"Exactly like that." Then I ran, throwing everything I had into it, one hand already wrapped around the stake I had in my waistband. A blur past me, coming to halt before me, I raised the stake, but seeing it was Stefan, not Damon, I angled it low, puncturing his stomach rather than his heart. He collapsed, and I pulled away. "Here! Have the damn bracelet, I never wanted it in the first place!" I ripped it off my wrist, flinging it down in front of him. I wanted to say more, but I had no time, so I just turned and ran.

Straight into a pissed off Damon. I feel back, feeling dizzy from the impact, but aware enough to draw the knife strapped to my ankle. He tried to grab me, but I drew it along his throat, the blood flowed freely, staining my hands as he choked. I knew he'd heal, so I kept running. Gilbert, Forbes and Lockwood. Elena would probably stay with Stefan, hopefully the blonde would too, or at least go to Damon's aid; Tyler was the worry, from what I gathered he had no particular attachment to the Salvatore boys, he'd probably be after me. I strengthened my grip on the knife, and lashed out as soon as I saw a blur in my path. The knife missed it's target, making a flesh wound in a tanned arm.

Said arm wrapped around my neck, pulling me against a hard chest, and covering my mouth. "Relax, it's me." He let go,  
"Jesus Kol!" I spoke in an angry whisper, but all I felt was relief. "What are you doing here?"  
"You weren't running, I thought I'd come and check you were alright."  
"So you searched the forest?"  
"Hardly. I heard Elena Gilbert saying there was something going on with the 'new girl', it wasn't a big leap."  
"Well thank Christ!"  
"That I'm here?"  
"No. Just... alright I'm glad you're here, don't be a dick about it."  
"Tyler's coming."  
"I don't wanna fight, get me out of here?" He grinned, and in blink I was swept up, I grabbed his shoulders and tried not to look at the world rushing past me.

It was probably under 10 minutes of running, but it felt endless. As soon as he stopped I let go, falling to the ground in a dizzy heap. "I'm gonna be sick."  
"Lovely." He helped me up, but I pushed him away, heading for a bush, under which I vomited. "Shall I hold your hair?"  
"Come near me and I'll stake you."  
"Embarrassed?"  
"What did I say about being a dick?" I searched my pockets for a tissue, found none, but was greeted with a clean handkerchief. "I can't use this."  
"I have many." I wiped my mouth, letting the world return to a normal stillness.  
"Thanks. Where are we?"  
"This is my home for the moment." I looked up, and was greeted by a fantastic sight. The house was a mixture of slate tiles and sheet metal, it looked both at home and out of place, standing on the edge of the forest, bordered by a stream, with a sports car in the drive. "This is..."  
"Anachronistic. I like it, it reminds me of... us."  
"You're family?"  
"Quite. Will you come in?"  
"I... no. Thanks. I should get home."  
"Christina..."  
"I can't Kol, thanks for helping me out, but..."  
"We're friends aren't we? Friends visit friends. I've been to your house, I am simply returning the courtesy."  
"It's never that simple with you."

For a moment he looked... almost hurt... but the expression hardened quickly, into the Kol I knew all too well. "I don't mean anything by it Kol, it's just... we both know you want _something _from me, I'm not going to throw myself into your games."  
"Very well. I'll take you home."  
"Thanks." I trusted him even less now he was being agreeable.  
"It's a shame though, because I've been doing some research, into my brother's Jade Myth..." He let it hang, and I wanted to hit him. "Take me home."  
"Are you sure you don't want to hear-"  
"Fine, I'll walk." I still felt ill after our little run through the forest, but I squared my shoulders and turned in the direction I guessed might be the right one. "Don't be ridiculous, I'll take you. If you're sure."  
"Quite sure." God, I wanted to hit him, so hard.

The drive was silent, until I couldn't hold my building anger in anymore. "We're not friends."  
"No?" His tone was deceptively cool, but I was pretty sure the night was going to end in violence.  
"No. Friends respect each other's boundaries, they don't push and push, and they don't try to manipulate each other like this."  
"Perhaps what you call manipulation is just compromise?"  
"No Kol, me and Jake compromise on _She's the Man _when he wants to watch football, and I want to watch a chick flick. This is manipulation, plain and simple."  
"But who's manipulating who?"  
"Take a wild guess." The car screeched to halt. The door slammed, and I heard the unmistakable sound of shit hitting the fan.


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N Just re-uploaded this chapter with a minor corrections, to help it fit in with the canon of my story plan. Thanks, **

**Aelyna. **

**Chapter 5**

"Kol?" I got out of the car, but didn't go too close. He was standing at the roadside, staring out, into the sky, I approached slowly, but his voice was calm when spoke. "It hasn't changed, in all the years I've been alive, well, not alive... whatever I am."  
"You're alive."  
"Am I?"  
"Yes. Dead is dead, and alive is alive, maybe ghosts are in between, but you are the most vibrant person I know, you're definitely alive." I paused, trying to gauge the situation, something I had little practice with. "I'm not averse to being your friend." He snorted, "No seriously, I'm not. I'm over the whole kidnapping thing. It's just... it always feels like you're trying to trick me into it."  
"I probably am."  
"Why?" He turned to look at me, and I could see the answer written clearly in his face, "Your family." He nodded,  
"I spent 900 years with Nik trying to draw Bekah and I into his games, to keep us needy, to keep us close."  
"So rather than breaking the cycle, you decide to repeat it."

He turned to face me, and in the moonlight his dark eyes glittered, like living things in their own right. "So I should tell you everything I know and expect nothing in return? Now who's being manipulative?" He was supposed to be the unstable one, but I felt myself losing control.  
"I'm not trying to manipulate you, I'm trying to make you into a better person!" The words were out, and I couldn't take them back. Kol grabbed my shoulders, shaking me, as though that would help. "I don't need you to make me into anything! You're just an insignificant little girl, a human, your life will be done almost as soon as it starts, whereas mine will go on and on. You think you can change me? Make me better?" I ripped myself away from his hands, my shoulders beginning to bruise even as I stood there.

"I'll die happy after my short life knowing I tried. I tried to make you better, I tried to make my mother happy, I tried to look after Rosie, I tried to be there for Jake. What will you have to be happy about when you're facing your final moments?"  
"You think you'll die happy? Let's see." Before he could sink his teeth into my neck, I raised my hands, and threw all of my new-found power into a simple spell. Kol landed 10 feet away, stunned, but unhurt.

"You're not going to kill me, you're going to hurt me, then heal me, just to prove you can. I'm not having a part in your sick little power trip tonight! Pathetic!" I turned back to the car, climbing in the driver's side and closing the door as he watched. It started easily enough, and moved like an extension of my body rather than a machine. How much had this cost? I thought about totalling it. Then I thought about Kol, watching the stars alone. And I found myself stepping on the brake. I rolled the window down, looking behind me. I had only gone a little way, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Stepping out of the car felt like I stupid thing to do, like something the damsel in a horror movie does, but I had one hand wrapped around my dagger. "It's your car, I'm not going to steal it. I'm not going to lower myself to your level." He was going to rip my throat out, but I was more agitated than afraid. "Kol? Kol! I'm extending an olive branch here, don't throw it back at me." No answer, damn him. "Kol?! Kol you son of a bitch, I know you can hear me!" Nothing. I lowered my voice suddenly, irrational worry catching my words, "Kol?"

I should have got back into the car and gone, but no matter what I said, he _was _my friend. I went to the last place I had seen him, then further into the forest, "Kol?" My voice was a whisper now, a vampire would still be able to hear it, but I didn't want to attract the attention of any other nasties in forest.

There was no light, so I flicked out my phone, then returned it, remembering that I was a witch. Magic lit the air with a word from me, and I kept walking, scanning the path ahead, until... from just behind a tree I saw a pair of expensive trainers. Kol. I dropped to his side, letting the light float above us; he had a stake protruding from his chest, I pulled it out sharply, whispering his name with a desperation that shocked even me. "Wake **up**, come on, we haven't finished this argument yet!"  
"Don't worry sweetheart, he'll be fine, but not soon enough." I recognised that voice.

"Damon." I turned slowly, regulating my breathing, trying to slow my heartbeat, showing this creature fear was extremely undesirable. "Christina, we didn't finish our chat."  
"I gave your brother the damn bracelet, what more do you want?" A slight movement in his hand showed me he was now in possession of the artefact. "I want to know everything you do about this Jade Myth."  
"You know as much as I do." My protests of ignorance fell on deaf ears.  
"Forgive me if I don't take your word for it."  
"I'm not the forgiving type Damon." With a slashing motion I threw flames to the ground around us, putting a barrier between myself, Kol, and him. Had I been alone I could have run, but I wasn't going to risk leaving Kol in the hands of this psychopath.

"Aren't you going to run little witch?"  
"I'm not afraid of you Salvatore. It's funny isn't it, the Salvatore brothers, and yet so very different. Is it his compassion, or his kind nature, do you think?"  
"What?"  
"Stefan. Is it his compassion or kind nature that's got Elena's heart?"  
"And why would you care?"  
"I don't, but I guess you do; it must be hard, especially when you have neither." Kol was stirring, I kept Damon's attention on me, "You won't change though, will you? Not even for love. Funny, that stubborn nature of yours is going to cost you the love of your life." He lunged, and I flicked my hand back up, hitting him with a wall of flame. He made a swift retreat, throwing himself to the forest floor in hopes of putting the flames out. I dropped to Kol's side, shaking him. "Wake up!"  
"Christina..." For a moment he was confused, then his eyes hardened with the return of his memory. "Damon Salvatore!" He stood, brushing himself down and straightening his clothes. For a moment he looked down into my eyes, and the intensity of the gaze told me there were questions he needed answering, then Damon groaned, and his gaze snapped to the elder Salvatore.

"Damon, mate, let me help you." He pulled him up by the back of his burnt shirt, throwing him into the nearest tree. "So, we're back to this are we? Dear me, I would have hoped you'd have learnt from last time." Without waiting for an answer he hit him, knocking him back to the forest floor. "No aluminium out here, back to good old fashioned wood." He broke a strong bow off the tree, easily as snapping a twig, "Still, it does pack a punch." He brought it down on Damon's back as the vampire was trying to stand, knocking him back down. "And... aluminium won't kill, but this, when I drive this through your chest, you won't be getting back up." With a lazy kick he turned Damon over, twirling the branch like a baton, and aiming the sharper end at his exposed heart.

"Kol!" Three sets of eyes flicked to Stefan, standing a little way away, desperate. "Please, I'll do anything you want. Just let my brother go."  
"Stefan, so nice of you to join us."  
"Please Kol, I know he was out of line, it won't happen again."  
"No, it won't, because he'll be dead. And you'll be joining him if you get in my way."  
"He's my brother Kol-"  
"Yes, he is, isn't he, like Finn was mine. Did that save him Stefan?" I saw the way Stefan's eyes closed for a millisecond, the genuine regret, the pain. I took a few steps closer to Kol, placing my hand on his arm. "Kol, this is your chance, your chance not to repeat the pattern. End the cycle of violence and revenge."  
"I'll end it with Damon's death."  
"You'll just be taking another brother. Another friend. Choose not to commit this evil Kol, _choose _to do the right thing."  
"Why should I, they never gave Finn the consideration!" He turned on me, eyes bright with unshed tears for a brother he had loved, once, a long time ago. "I know, but you can be better than them. You already are, don't lose the high-ground now." I moved my hand from his arm to the bow, angling it away from Damon's chest. With a last look at me, he dropped it. Stefan blurred to his brother's side, and I pulled Kol away from the scene, following my light back to the car.

I lent my head against the seat, taking a few deep breaths. "That was stressful."  
"I should have killed him." But he didn't mean it,  
"You did the right thing." I reached over, pulling a stray leaf from his hair. He caught my hand, plucking the leaf from it, "What?"  
"I was wrong, you're not insignificant at all, and you are changing me. Even though I don't want you to. How are you doing that?" I grinned, taking my hand back,  
"It's just a side-effect of spending so much time in the field of awesome that surrounds me." He chuckled, starting the car, "Maybe." Out of the corner of his eye, I saw him pocket the leaf.  
"There's no may-be about it. I'm really awesome." I yawned, "And really tired. It's late isn't it, maybe I _could _crash at yours, so I don't wake everyone up when I go home?"  
"I suppose you could." The car changed directly smoothly.

**Thanks to C683137 for prompting me to write more, I really don't want to abandon this story! **

**Also my thanks goes to ****KurisutaruAi, keeleymcgregor213, and all my other reviewers and readers! :D **


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N I would like to dedicate this chapter to Wileby for giving me the idea of the Kol/Damon backstory, thank you! **

**Also, just re-uploaded this chapter with a few minor corrections, which were bugging me!**

**Chapter 6**

Kol's house was as amazing on the inside as it was outside, a mixture of old wooden furniture and beautiful glass topped tables. "I need to change." He gestured at his ripped and bloodied clothes, a courtesy of Damon's stake. "Make yourself at home Christina, there's food in the kitchen, tea and coffee..."  
"Thanks." I made a cup of tea, milky and sweet, and took a seat in the lounge. I had to make a quick call to Mum, letting her know I was staying at 'a friend's house'. She was unbelievably pleased to hear I was finally integrating.

"**Which friend? Someone from school?"  
**"Er... no, it's Colin actually. We met while we were running, and got talking – he offered to drive me home in the morning."  
"So it's a... boyfriend?"  
"No. Just a... guy friend, like Jake."  
"Is Colin gay?"  
"I don't think so."  
"So it's a boyfriend then."  
"Mum! You can have a straight guy as a mate."  
"Sure you can honey. Don't do anything naughty, you don't want him thinking you're fast."  
"Hanging up, right now!"  
"Love you!" I pressed END, grinning slightly; our relationship at least had improved greatly over the last moths.

"I won't you know." I looked up at Kol's voice, his hair was wet, and he was wearing black slacks, but no shirt, I ignored it, knowing it was meant to make me uncomfortable. "Won't what?"  
"Think your fast, if you want to do something... naughty?" He raised a suggestive eyebrow, and I threw a pillow at him. He ducked it, laughing at me, but as he came to sit in the chair opposite me, his expression turned serious. "Tell me something,"  
"The Nile is the longest river in the world."  
"That is academically disputed, I should know, I did a fantastic river boat journey up the Amazon in the late 1800s."  
"Really? What was it like?"  
"I'll tell you, if you answer me this question,"  
"Go on then."  
"Why did you wait for me to regain consciousness, when you could have run?"  
"Damon wanted answers, he might have had vervain on him; then you would have been in some real trouble."  
"So you risked _your _safety, for mine?"  
"I guess." It hadn't really crossed my mind to leave him,  
"Hm."  
"Not _hm_ anything, it happened, you would have done the same for me, now leave it."  
"Alright, for now."  
"Then tell me about this trip down the Amazon!" And he did, in vivid detail, after that we watched _Ace Ventura_, because that somehow came up, and he had the DVD.

I was falling asleep before the movie ended, the night had finally caught up with me. I woke to Kol's gentle touch on my shoulder, "Come on, there's a room ready upstairs." I yawned widely, but let him show me the way. Of course the room was extravagant, and yet still managed to straddle sophistication. "There's an en suite, towels and the usual, and a new toothbrush under the sink."  
"Thank you Kol." He smiled, and I expected a lewd comment of some description, but he _finally _acted the gentleman. "It's nothing. Goodnight Christina."

I woke with the sun next morning, there was a dressing gown on the door, so I pulled it over my t-shirt and underwear, which was all I had worn to bed. Downstairs in the kitchen, Kol was making fresh coffee. "Morning."  
"Morning, coffee? Toast, cereal?"  
"Coffee would be great. And toast, if that's okay?"  
"Of course," When I made to help him, he flicked his hands at me, "Sit down." I sat at the breakfast bar, watching him making breakfast with such human ease. "What?"  
"Nothing."  
"So why the expression?" I smiled, looking away from him for a moment,  
"It's just so domestic, such a far cry from last night in the woods; beating Damon Salvatore half to death with a tree."  
"It was a branch."  
"Not really the point." He grinned,  
"Well I can't be that guy all the time, even I need a break sometimes."  
"I like this guy more." My words were meant to be quiet, something he would barely hear, but I had of course forgotten he was a vampire, with the preternatural senses that went with that condition. "Then I'll make an effort not to beat anyone to death for a couple days." I smiled back,  
"That would be cool. But don't think I'm blaming you, Damon needed a lesson, he just didn't need to die." Kol nodded,  
"You know we met a long time ago, when he was still a baby vamp?"  
"No, how did that go?"  
"Well...

"It was early in the 20th Century, I was with Sage at the time, she was Finn's lover. He had asked me to keep an eye on her, centuries before, when he knew Nik was going to put him down; he wanted to make sure nothing happened to her when he was gone."  
"Put him down? Like he did to you?"  
"Exactly like that, yes. 1912 was the year he put me down to, as it happens. Good old Nik, so predictable. Anyway, Sage met the boy somewhere, he was pining after his girl; at first it was all fun and games – teaching him how to really _enjoy _the kill, rather than..." He saw my expression, and stopped, "Well, you don't want to hear about that. The point is, Sage introduced us one night, he was already drunk, and she was going to feed, so she left me to babysit. Now you know I can't resist a bit of fun when it pops up, and this boy was talking about his girl; Katherine. We had known her years before of course, as Katerina, the Doppelgänger."  
"Elena Gilbert's ancestor?"  
"Yes, and I recognised her from his descriptions, so I mentioned our acquaintance. How _very _well acquainted we had become." He was furious, trying to defend her honour, so told him about her acquaintance with Elijah and Klaus..." He couldn't help chuckling at the memory, and I shook my head with a grin. "Anyway, he swung for me, I broke his neck and left him outside for Sage to pick up when she was finished with her dinner. That was the last time I saw him, and her."  
"I suppose you're bound to run into old friends when you have forever."  
"Maybe, but I won't be running into her, she died when my brother did. Thanks to the Salvatore brothers."  
"Damon has a lot to answer for, but there are better answers than death." Kol nodded, biting into his toast.

"Did you never fall in love? Finn had Sage, Elijah and Nik fell in love with the first Doppelgänger, your sister seems to have a thing for Matt Donovan, if I'm not mistaken; what about you?"  
"I don't think I'm suited to love."  
"What do you mean?"  
"It's takes a certain kind of person to love, and I mean real love, not passing flirtation. Finn and Sage, they really loved each other, and their love would have endured, had it not been for Nik's little rage fit. Rebekah, she mistakes passion for love, she thinks that a man who'll bed her loves hers; it's the same with Nik, she loves him unconditionally, even though all he does is mistreat and abuse her – she sees love because she wants to. But love's not love if it's not returned. That was always Elijah problem, had he found a woman who loved him as well as he loved her, it would have been another Finn and Sage; but he fell for Tatia, and she was a fickle creature, as was Katerina, and he fell for her too. Even little Elena Gilbert, he put his trust in her, and she betrayed him.

"I have no illusions about myself you know, I know I'm handsome, charming, funny-"  
"Modest."  
"Exactly. But I'm also as fickle as Tatia was, as cruel as Nik is, and I have none of Bekah's sweet nature, nor Elijah's honour."  
"Well you're no teddy bear, and I've seen your capacity for cruelty firsthand, but you're no monster either. And besides, isn't it said that people like you for your qualities, but love you for your flaws?"  
"If that was true I'd have a harem of women in love with me by now." I snorted,  
"True. Anyway, real love is blind isn't it, not just to appearance, but to all the faults, the flaws, the evil committed in times past..."  
"So maybe there's hope?"  
"Hope for you to fall in love? Of course. But if you want to fall in love with someone who will love you the way you want to be loved, and not the way Nik and Tatia love, then you need to find someone good."  
"Do good people fall in love with monsters?"  
"No, they don't."  
"Then I need to change."  
"Yep. And so do I, I'm gonna be late for school. Any chance I can borrow a clean shirt?" He nodded, and I handed him my plate to wash, heading upstairs for a shower.

I was agitated all day by the faint scent of Kol's aftershave on the clothes I was wearing.


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

My concentration was shot, I couldn't keep it together in class; a combination of the intense conversation I had that morning, my simmering anger at the Bennet witch's betrayal, and the unbidden images of Kol, shirtless, from the night before. They kept popping into my head when the aroma of that expensive musk hit me – which seemed to be every time I shifted in my seat.

"Christie, are you with us?"  
"Um, no... I mean... yes?."  
"Right, so what's the answer?" I looked at the sum on the board, and having missed everything up to that point, I found myself stumped. "0.0023, approximately." Bonnie spoke from behind me, saving me from further embarrassment. Though if she thought that was going to make up for last night, she was deluded.

I caught her outside the class, and she followed me into an empty classroom, as we had done only days before. "Christie, I'm sorry. Really, I am, Damon found out about it... if I hadn't told him he would have..."  
"I gave you my number, you could have dropped me a text, warned me-"  
"I know, and I feel so bad..."  
"Shut up Bonnie. You wanted answers, and you thought letting Damon Salvatore and that merry band get them out of me would be easier than waiting for me to trust you. Well, good luck with that, because if you think I'm going to give you _any _information I find (I had no idea if I would find anything without her help, but I was angry, and I wanted leverage), you are **so **wrong."  
"I know I've lost your trust, but let me help you with contacting the witch spirits, this time-"  
"Again, shut up. This is desperate. I don't want anything to do with you, okay? Just leave me alone, you and your undead friends."  
"I'll do what I can, but Damon..."  
"Won't be problem. I dealt with him last night, he's learnt his lesson." I didn't mention Kol, sometimes a secret weapon, or in this case ally, could be very valuable. "Okay, well I can promise-" We were interrupted by the entrance of aforementioned undead friends.

"Bonnie, we heard you talking with Christie, we thought you might be in trouble." Caroline said it in a rush, like she did everything. "Yeah, because I'm the dangerous traitor here. Jesus, all I want is for you guys to get out of my business, and stay out. Okay?" All three nodded, "Good." I made to leave, then turned at the door, staring into each of their eyes for a few seconds, Caroline, Elena and finally Bonnie, a direct challenge. "And listen carefully; if you don't do as I ask, I **will **hurt you. If not directly, then through your nearest and dearest. I'm not above going for little Jerr, or the dear Sheriff, got it?" There was a tense silence, then they nodded. I turned and left, the door slammed of it's own accord, my magic was running high today.

Mum was way too interested in the night, I wished I could tell her everything, but I was equally afraid of ruining what we had in the dangerous little town. "He's a really nice guy, gentlemanly, funny, intelligent. He's travelled a lot, he's a good story teller..." I cut myself off, remembering that I was supposed to be talking about a _pretend _potential love interest. Kol might be all of those things, but he was also a monster, and one who had not yet redeemed himself.

"He's fun to be around, but he's also a bit mercurial, he can get angry... I think we're good as friends, but nothing more."  
"Oh. Are you sure? You seemed so happy when you were talking about him."  
"But enjoying his company really isn't enough, there needs to be more, and we wouldn't be viable, not in the long term." Because he's an immoral Original. God, I needed to tell her, if this came out... she would be so disappointed in me. Still, I remained silent. "You think too much sweetheart, you shouldn't be worried about long term – you're 17."  
"I know, but these things play on my mind, you know?"  
"I think I do. And honestly, I'm glad it's a bit more serious for you than it is for others your age; it shows your maturity." I smiled, but it felt like a lie.

I had to catch up on the lessons I had dreamt my way through, so I settled down at my desk, prepared for a few hours studying. Barely an hour into it, there was a rapping at my window. "Kol? Are you here for the shirt, I was going to wash it first..." He waved that away dismissively,  
"Keep it. I've got something to give you, actually."  
"Oh?"  
"Um hm, I should have given it to you last night, but I thought it could do with a polish, and a nice box. Here." He handed me a slim black box, wrapped with a neat satin bow. I pulled it gently, and removed the lid – revealing the Jade bracelet. It was almost unrecognisable. Before it had been dull and not at all extraordinary, now it was beautiful, refined... Just a little polish, and perhaps... perhaps the giver of this gift made it special.

"I took it from Damon, it was supposed to be yours, wasn't it? The Witch Spirits and all that."  
"Yes it was. Thank you Kol, you didn't have to."  
"It's nothing, anyway, green looks good on you." He reached over and took the chain, gesturing for me to extend my wrist; I did, and he fastened it. "See, lovely." There was a moment, when his hand rested on my wrist, I had to pull away, before the touch began to mean something, but I found myself unable to do so. Instead I twisted my hand, briefly grasping his, "Thank you, really." Then I let go, smiling, and his usual cocky grin faded to something a little more real, a little more meaningful.

"I should let you get on, good night Christie."  
"Night Kol." When he left, jumping from the window ledge with feline grace, I found myself lying back on my bed, fingering the bracelet almost unconsciously, and wondering where the fuck this was going to end? Because it couldn't end well.


End file.
